Binder file and tape for the manufacture thereof



J. D- TOMAN Oct. 19, 1965 BINDER FILE AND TAPE FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 25. 1960 INVENTOR My 0.7DMA /V ATTORNE Oct. 19, 1965 J. D. TOMAN 3,212,505

BINDER FILE AND TAPE FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed on. 25. 1960 5 Sheet-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR JWH 0. 7vM/9/v,

BY )dkmw/ ATTORNEE Oct. 19, 1965 I J. D. TOMAN 3,212,505

BINDER FILE AND TAPE FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed Oct. 25. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY AZMW ATTORNEYS United States Patent Box 433, Ellsworth, Kans.); James L. Quinn, trustee of the estate of Joseph D. Toman Filed Oct. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 64,791 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-19) This invention relates to loose leaf binders and to loose leaf binding tapes.

The present invention rel-ates to that general class of binder employing gummed tabs to which leaves or sheets may beadhesively secured, and it has for its object, first, the provision of a continuous binder strip of paper or textile material having gummed portions which can be partially severed to produce tabs to which leaves or sheets may be adhesively secured, without disturbing the remaining portion of the continuous binder; second, more particularly, a continuous gummed binder stn'p having successive lines of perforations delineating tabs that may be partially severed to freely project for the adhesive attachment of sheets or leaves without disturbing the remaining portion of the strip; third, a backing or folded cover the portions of which are joined by an inwardly folded leafholding means located between the cover portion and the back'portion.

The invention relates also to binding hinges of the type adaptable for securing a loose leaf in a book, for securing sheets of music in a folder, or for similar purposes, and the objects of the invention include the provision of a secure form of binding member which may be economically formed of a single piece of material and may be attached with great facility.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure thereof.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a binder file embodying one form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective showing the binder file of FIGURE 1 in open position;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view showing one form of mounting tape, which may be employed alone or in the construction of a binder file;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are sectional views of the tape of FIGURE 4 when employed with the front and back portion of a file;

FIGURE 7 shows another form of mounting tape employed as a top folding means;

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 are plan, sectional and perspective views, respectively, of another form of mounting p FIGURES 11 and 12 are plan and sectional views, respectively, of still another form of mounting tape;

FIGURES 13 and 14 are plan and sectional views, respectively, of another form of mounting tape;

FIGURES 15, 16 and 17 are plan and sectional views, respectively, of still another form of mounting tape; and

FIGURES 18, 19 and 20 are perspective plan, and sectional views, respectively, of another form of the invention, designed to employ indexing tabs.

Briefly, the invention comprises a paper folder, such as a manila folder, having the cover and back portions thereof joined by an inwardly folded portion which forms the binding means. The binding may be an integral part of the folder or it may be made from one piece of tape, cloth or other material cut to provide a series of tabs for securing papers in the folder. The tabs are provided with glue or other adhesive on one side for attachment to the papers. One or more tabs may be secured to a single 3,212,505 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 paper to hold it securely in place. Sufiicient tabs may be provided in a single folder to hold from one to one hundred or more papers. When two or more tabs in a series are intended to be attached to the same paper, they are variou-sly located in the series but correspondingly numbered for identification. Variations in the number and arrangement of tabs permit different applications of the basic principle set forth. If desired, two or even more series or rows of tabs may be provided for attachment to the papers inserted in the file. A file having papers secured therein by the arrangement of the invention provides a strong and neat, novel repository for papers and, when opened to any paper, will lie substantially fiat.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3, the file therein shown is the typical manila folder having a front cover 1 and a back cover 2 said covers being joined by an integral inwardly folded portion 3 which is adapted to form the binding strip. The binding strip is cut into equally divided sections as at 4, the cut extending from the ridge 5 of the bin-ding strip to the inside face of each cover-1 and2, thus providing a series of tabs 6, each tab 6 being provided with an adhesive or glue coating on one side 7, and on the same side of each tab in the series of tabs. Each tab 6 is adapted to be bent downwardly in the same direction to engage a loose leaf or sheet 8, or the like, to be permanently bound, by means of the adhesive coating 7. One or more tabs 6 may be secured to a single paper and when two or more tabs in a series are intended to be attached to the same paper, they are variously located in the series of tabs but correspondingly numbered for identification. For instance, two tabs marked 6 and 6' would be turned down to secure a paper; likewise two tabs marked 7 and 7' would be turned down, and so forth.

Instead of employing a folder having the inwardly folded portion 3, a folder such as shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 may be employed. The folder comprises the front cover 10 and the back cover 11, said covers being joined together by the leaf-holding means 12 which comprises a strip of paper or cloth tape shown in detail in FIGURE 4. This tape is continuous and may be made up in designated lengths or in lengths which can be rolled up and sold in roll form. The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 13 and 14 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum. These marginal edge portions 13 and 14 are secured to the front and back cover portions 10 and 11 respectively as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. The tape is cut transversely along lines 17, 17 from the peak 18 or median line (FIG. 5) to the valleys where the covers are secured to the marginal edge portions 13 and 14, thus forming tabs 15-16 which can be bent downwardly (FIG. 6) to secure a loose leaf or sheet 8 which is to be permanently bound in the covers 10 and 11. As to the tab 15-16, the part 15 is without adhesive or gum and the part 16 is provided with adhesive or gum. Each tab 15- 16 on the tape is so made and hence the tab 15-16 is bent downwardly in only one direction. The gummed portion 16 lies between the gummed marginal edge portion 14 and the median line 18 of the tape and the ungummed portion 15 lies between the median line 18 and the gummed marginal portion 13. The tape is cut at evenly spaced intervals along the length thereof at right angles to and between said gummed marginal edge portions. The tape just described takes the place of the integral inwardly turned portion 3 of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 and is adapted for subdivision along the lines 17 into leaf-attaching tabs. By employing tape, large quantities of the tape can be kept on hand in ofiices and employed to make up folders on the spot, the covers 10 and 11 being single sheets of manila paper or the like.

Sometimes it is desirable to secure several sheets of paper together without employing a paper clip or a staple or a pin. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URE 7 may be employed in such a situation. Here again the tape may be made up in designated lengths or in rolls, the tape extending lengthwise as in FIGURE 4. The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 20 and 21 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum. The edge portion 20 is adapted to be secured to the upper left hand corner of the first sheet of say four sheets, and is folded on line 2727. The edge portion 21 is adapted to be secured to the upper left hand corner of the fourth sheet of say four sheets and is folded on line 2828. The tape is cut on line 26-26 to form two tabs 22-23 and 24-25. The portions 22 and 24 are without adhesive or a guru and the portions 23 and 25 are coated with adhesive or a gum. The portions 23 and 25 when bent downwardly would be used to secure sheets comprising the second and third sheets of say four sheets. Any number of sheets can be held together provided that enough tape is employed; the main purpose in using this embodiment being to provide a top fold means of securing loose leaf sheets together. As in connection with the embodiment of FIG- URES 4, and 6, the tape is cut at evenly spaced intervals along lines 2626 at right angles to and between the gummed marginal edge portions 20 and 21.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and shows the use of an additional fold or spacing portion longitudinally of the tape to permit move voluminous filing requirements, for as the papers in a file increase in number, the file becomes bulkier. The tape in this embodiment is made of paper or suitable textile material in designated lengths or in rolls, the tape extending lengthwise as in FIGURE 8. The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 30 and 36 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum and adapted for attachment to the cover 10 and back portion 11 of a binder. An ungummed spacing portion 33 is provided and this includes the median line of the tap, the portion 33 being equally spaced from the marginal edge portions 30 and 36. There are two gummed portions 31 and 35 extending throughout the length of the tape one each lying inwardly of and adjacent to the gummed marginal edge portions 30 and 36. There are two ungummed portions 32 and 34 extending throughout the length of the tape each lying inwardly of and adjacent to the gummed portions 31 and 35 and spaced apart by the ungummed spacing portion 33. The tape is scored and cut at evenly spaced intervals along its length, the cuts being shown at 37, 37, 37, 37. These cuts are made at right angles to the gummed marginal edge portions 30 and 36 and the cuts are confined to the gummed and ungummed portions 31, 34 and 32, 35. FIG- URES 9 and 10 depict the manner of using the tape for permanently binding loose leaves or sheets of material. A conventional binder, size nine by twelve inches, and provided with the binding tape shown, can easily accommodate forty sheets of paper, size eight by ten and one-half inches. Two tabs per sheet, the tabs being in the same series, may be employed. For instance two tabs of the portion 31 in the series in which tabs of the portion 31 fall could be employed to permanently secure a loose leaf. The tabs in the series could be numbered from 1 to and from 1 to 20, making a total of forty tabs in that series. FIGURE 10 shows the tape as being broken at lines xx and y-y for purposes of illustration, only. In mounting a loose leaf in the file number 1 tab and number 1 tab would be used; number 2 tab and number 2 tab would be used, and so forth. The same procedure would be followed in using the series of tabs of the portion 35, and since there would be forty tabs, twenty loose leaves could be secured for permanent binding to that series of tabs. As the file becomes thicker and thicker due to the addition of loose leaves, the spacing portion 33 accommodates the tape to this situation.

Employing a folder of the size just described and sheets of paper of the size just described, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 11 and 12 may be employed to accommodate eighty sheets of paper. As previously disclosed, the tape in this emobdiment is made of paper or suitable textile material in designated lengths or in rolls, the tape extending lengthwise as in FIGURE 11. The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 40 and 41 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum and adapted for attachement to the cover 10 and back portion 11 of a binder. An ungummed spacing portion 42 lies inwardly of and adjacent to the gummed marginal edge portion 40. A second ungummed spacing portion including the median line of the tape and equally spaced from each of the gummed marginal edge portions 40 and 41, is provided. There are two gummed portions 43 and 46 extending throughout the lengthof the tape, one 43 lying inwardly of and adjacent to said first ungummed spacing portion 42, the other 46 lying outwardly of and adjacent to said second ungummed spacing portion 45. There are two ungummed portions 44 and 47 extending throughout the length of the tape, one 44 lying inwardly of said first ungummed spacing portion 42 and adjacent to said second ungummed spacing portion 45, the other 47 lying outwardly of said second ungummed spacing portion 45 and adjacent to one of said gummed marginal edge portions 41. The tape is scored and cut at evenly spaced intervals along its length, the cuts being shown at 48, 48, 48, 48. These cuts are made at right angles to the gummed marginal edge portions 40 and 41 and the cuts are confined to the gummed and ungummed portions 43, 46 and 44, 47. FIGURE 12 depicts the manner of using the tape for permanently binding loose-leaves or sheets of material. By employing a binder and loose-leaves having the dimensions previously set forth in connection with FIGURE 8, eighty sheets of paper can be very easily accommodated, by using only one tab, such as 43, per sheet of paper.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 13 and 14, the tape is provided with additional folds in order to accommodate larger filing requirements. Employing a folder of the size just described and sheets of paper of the size just described, this embodiment may be employed to accommodate a greater number of looseleaves, than heretofore. As previously disclosed, the tape in this embodiment is made of paper or suitable textile material in designated lengths or in rolls, the tape extending lengthwise as in FIGURE 13. The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 50 and 51 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum and adapted for attachment to the cover 10 and back portion 11 of a binder. Two ungummed spacing portions 52 and 58 lie inwardly of and adjacent to each of said marginal edge portions 50 and 51. A third ungummed spacing portion 55 includes the median line of the tape and is equally spaced from each of said gummed marginal edge portions 50 and 51. A gummed portion 54 extending throughout the length of the tape lies outwardly of and adjacent to the ungummed spacing portion 55. Another gummed portion 57 lies inwardly of and adjacent to the second ungummed spacing portion 58. Two ungummed portions 53 and 56 extending throughout the length of the tape are provided; one 53 lying inwardly of and adjacent to the first ungummed spacing portion 52; the other 56 lying outwardly of and adjacent to said third ungummed spacing portion 55. The tape is scored and cut at evenly spaced intervals along its length, the cuts being shown at 59, 59, 59, 59. These cuts are made at right angles to the gummed marginal edge portions 50 and 51 and the cuts are .confined to the gummed and ungummed portions 54, 57 and 53, 56. FIGURE 14 depicts the manner of using the tape for permanently binding loose-leaves or sheets of material.

In-the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 15, 16 and 17, the tape is made as follows. It is made of paper or suitable textile material in designated lengths or in rolls, the tape extending lengthwise as in F G RE. 15, The tape has on its upper surface marginal edge portions 60 and 61 which are coated with an adhesive or a gum and adapted for attachment to the cover and back portion 11 of a binder. Two ungummed portions 62 and 65 extend throughout the length of the tape and lie inwardly of and adjacent to each of said marginal edge portions 60 and 61. Two gummed portions 63 and 64 extend throughout the length of the tape and lie adjacent to the median line of the tape. The tape is scored and cut at evenly spaced intervals along its length, the cuts being shown at 66, 66, 66, 66. These cuts are made at right angles to the gummed marginal edge portions 60 and 61 and the cuts are confined to the gummed and ungummed portions 63, 64 and 62, 65, As shown in FIGURES 16 and 17, the tape is adapted to be folded along each of the longitudinal lines defining the juncture of said gummed and ungummed portions to form bight portions and in which the cuts 66, 66, 66, 66 at evenly spaced intervals along the length of the tape are made. As seen in FIGURE 17 a sheet of paper or a loose-leaf 69 is secured to a tab 63 and to a tab 64; in other words one tab from the series 63 tabs is secured to one face of the paper and one tab from the series 64 tabs is secured to the other face of paper 69.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 18, 19 and 20, the tape is constructed in all respects as is the tape of FIGURES 15, 16 and 17. Should indexing be desired, an index tab 70 may be employed and said tab can be secured to one of the tabs in the series 64; the index tab may bear letters of the alphabet, numbers, or any other suitable indieia.

It is to be understood that either a glue or a pressure sensitive or other adhesive may be employed in the manufacture of the tapes herein disclosed, the only requirement being that of relatively permanent adhesion to the binder.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention within the scope of the claims, could be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specifications and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

6 I claim: 1. For use in a binder, a leaf-holding means comprising a strip of tape which is continuous and of paper or textile material and adapted for severance into a strip of suitable length without disturbing the remaining portion of said continuous strip of tape and having on its upper surface marginal edge portions which are gummed and adapted for attachment to the cover and back portion of a binder, two ungummed portions extends throughout the length of said tape each lying inwardly of and adjacent to each of said marginal edge portions, two gummed portions extending throughout the length of said tape each lying adjacent to the median line of said tape, said strip of tape being cut at evenly spaced intervals along the length thereof at right angles to said gummed marginal edge portions, said cuts extending to each of said marginal edge portions and in the region of said gummed and ungummed portions only.

2. A leaf-holding means as claimed in claim 1 in which the severed length of tape is adapted to be folded along each of the longitudinal lines defining the juncture of said gummed and ungummed portions of said tape to form bight portions and in which the cuts at evenly spaced intervals along the length of the tape are in said bight portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,129,110 2/15 Montgomery 129-19 1,241,381 9/17 Hollidge 12919 1,569,382 1/26 Lewis 281--21 1,719,648 7/29 Brown. 1,895,174 1/33 Shonts 12925 X 1,926,477 9/ 33 Elliot 28123 FOREIGN PATENTS 44,714 l 0/ 10 Austria.

212,516 8/24 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE NINAS, JR., N. ANSHER, Examiners. 

1. FOR USE IN A BINDER, A LEAF-HOLDING MEANS COMPRISING A STRIP OF TAPE WHICH IS CONTINUOUS AND OF PAPER OR TEXTILE MATERIAL AND ADAPTED FOR SEVERANCE INTO A STRIP OF SUITABLE LENGTH WITHOUT DISTURBING THE REMAINING PORTION OF SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP OF TAPE AND HAVING ON ITS UPPER SURFACE MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS WHICH ARE GUMMED AND ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE COVER AND BACK PORTION OF A BINDER, TWO UNGUMMED PORTIONS EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID TAPE EACH LYING INWARDLY OF AND ADJACENT TO EACH OF SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS, TWO GUMMED PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID TAPE EACH LYING ADJACENT TO THE MEDIAN LINE OF SAID TAPE, SAID STRIP OF TAPE BEING CUT AT EVENLY SPACED INTERVALS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID GUMMED MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS, SAID CUTS EXTENDING TO EACH OF SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS AND IN THE REGION OF SAID GUMMED AND UNGUMMED PORTIONS ONLY. 